Tenika Willison

Tenika Willison
Date of birth (1997-12-07) 7 December 1997 (age 26)
Height1.67 m (5 ft 6 in)
SchoolHamilton Girls' High School
Notable relative(s)Jackson Willison (cousin) Xavier Willison (cousin) Te Maire Martin (cousin) Taine Tuaupiki (cousin)
Rugby union career
Super Rugby
Years Team Apps (Points)
2023 Chiefs Manawa (0)
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2023 New Zealand 1 (2)
National sevens team
Years Team Comps
2016– New Zealand 86 apps
10 tries
126 points[1]
Medal record
Women's rugby sevens
Representing  New Zealand
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2020 Tokyo Team competition
Gold medal – first place 2024 Paris Team competition
Rugby World Cup Sevens
Gold medal – first place 2018 San Francisco Team competition
Silver medal – second place 2022 Cape Town Team competition
Commonwealth Games
Bronze medal – third place 2022 Birmingham Team competition

Tenika Willison (born 7 December 1997) is a New Zealand rugby sevens and rugby league player.[2] She is currently contracted to the Newcastle Knights in the NRL Women's Premiership. She previously played for Chiefs Manawa in the Super Rugby Aupiki competition. She also plays for the Black Ferns sevens internationally and won a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics.

Rugby career

Rugby sevens

Willison debuted for the Black Ferns Sevens side in 2016.[3] She competed for New Zealand in the women's sevens tournament at the 2020 Summer Olympics where she won a gold medal.[4][5]

Willison was named in the Black Ferns Sevens squad for the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.[6][7] She won a bronze medal at the event.[8][9] She later competed in her second Rugby World Cup Sevens in Cape Town and won a silver medal.[10][11][12]

Fifteens

Willison was signed by Chiefs Manawa for the 2023 Super Rugby Aupiki season.[4][5] She was selected in the Black Ferns fifteens 30-player squad to compete in the Pacific Four Series and O'Reilly Cup.[3][13] She made her international debut against Australia on 29 June 2023 at Brisbane.[14][15]

Rugby League

In August 2024, Willison signed a 2-year contract with the Newcastle Knights in the NRL Women's Premiership competition, starting effective immediately.[16]

References

  1. ^ "Tenika Willison". SVNS. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  2. ^ "Tenika Willison". Olympedia.org. OlyMADmen. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  3. ^ a b "First Black Ferns squad of 2023 named". allblacks.com. 7 June 2023. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
  4. ^ a b Birchall, Jim (16 January 2023). "League and sevens stars bolster Waitomo Chiefs Manawa". NZ Herald. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  5. ^ a b "League and Sevens Stars Sign with Waitomo Chiefs Manawa". Chiefs. 16 January 2023. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  6. ^ "Rugby Sevens teams named for Commonwealth Games". allblacks.com. 29 June 2022. Retrieved 4 July 2022.
  7. ^ "Experienced New Zealand sevens squads revealed for Commonwealth Games". Stuff. 29 June 2022. Retrieved 4 July 2022.
  8. ^ McConnell, Lynn (1 August 2022). "Double bronze for New Zealand Sevens sides in Birmingham". allblacks.com. Retrieved 5 August 2022.
  9. ^ "NZ Sevens sides bounce back to win bronze medals". 1 News. 1 August 2022. Retrieved 5 August 2022.
  10. ^ Julian, Adam (12 September 2022). "New Zealand sides scoop silver in Cape Town". allblacks.com. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  11. ^ "NZ Sevens come up short, losing World Cup finals in Cape Town". 1 News. 12 September 2022. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  12. ^ Wilson, Sam (11 September 2022). "Recap: New Zealand's men and women beaten in Rugby World Cup Sevens finals in Cape Town". Stuff. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  13. ^ "Nine rookies named in first Black Ferns squad of 2023". NZ Herald. 7 June 2023. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
  14. ^ "PREVIEW: Black Ferns v Wallaroos (Brisbane)". allblacks.com. 29 June 2023. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  15. ^ Burnes, Campbell (30 June 2023). "Black Ferns run rampant in Redcliffe". allblacks.com. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  16. ^ "Knights sign Rugby International for 2024 NRLW season". Newcastle Knights. 31 July 2024.


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